EasyJet has grounded its entire fleet without a return to service date announced.
Normally, the airline serves 159 airports across 1,051 routes. However, many operations had already been halted last week, only running vital or rescue flights to bring stranded nationals back home.
The airline commented that the decision was made due to “unprecedented travel restrictions” imposed due to the virus pandemic, stating that “we will continue to work with government bodies to operate additional rescue flights as and when requested.”
Not only have connections been affected but also the staff with cabin crew being furloughed for the foreseeable future with no known date of working again. The airline’s boss, John Lundgren said that he was “working tirelessly” to ensure the airline would be “well positioned to overcome the challenges of the coronavirus.”
Despite the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicting an “apocalypse” in the aviation sector, easyJet has stated that it did not need a bailout: “to support recovery in the future, we believe that further actions will be needed such as a temporary removal of Aviation Passenger Duty and Air Traffic Control Charges.”
